So, I fell off the wagon with my monthly recap posts, but I didn’t stop taking video! I’ve learned since September that managing three internet homes successfully is nigh impossible. Back in September, my fiancé + I launched our podcast, Swept Together. It’s the story of a modern romance between two adventurers, at home, at work + on the road. Audio content is a new medium for me + in some ways, it’s taken up the spot in my life that this blog used to hold, back when I started it in 2011. It’s a creative outlet, separate from my work, where I can make something without looking at the numbers or trying to monetize.

Somehow, to be honest, I lost that from blogging. At some point along the road, it became about getting another follower, another comment, another sponsorship. With that, it stopped being as fun as it once was. I started my videography business, Evergreen Lane Productions, in 2013 – in significant part, because of this little travel blog + the great friendships I’d built in the blogging community. I’ve gone through a few different iterations of that business + now do mainly video editing as opposed to full production. I’ve launched a travel video editing package + will shortly be offering one for entrepreneurs.

It’s been an incredible journey. In case you’ve noticed that I’ve been around here a lot less, it’s partially because my two younger children (toddler Evergreen Lane + newborn Swept Together) have been taking all my attention. It’s partially because I’ve forgotten what I loved about this place in the beginning. So, I’m giving myself space to step back + blog a little more slowly + intentionally. To reinvent the wheel. To pour into my other babies while they need me.

I’ll still be around these parts but if you want to hear from me more regularly in a mini-blogging format, follow me on Instagram – my favorite social media home these days. I’m over there every weekday, and you’ll be able to stay updated on all 3 of my internet kids (the blog, the podcast, the biz) in one happy place. See you there!

I’m a little late with this past month’s recap because it was a BIG month. Here are the highlights:

My family and I finished up our trip in Santa Fe that started in July.

I went camping and hiked a 14er (Quandary Peak) in the rain with some dear friends.

C + I started a home renovation project.

We had a photoshoot with some airplanes for our podcast which is launching in just a few days! The website isn’t up yet, but you can follow along on Facebook or Instagram!

I went to Yellow Conference in Los Angeles.

Overall, I’m feeling quite thankful + inspired. Despite being busier than ever, my time is full of projects that challenge and excite me – so what more can I really ask for? I always get a rush of energy at the start of fall, so I’m diving in head first!

What are you working on right now? Anything that has you especially excited or inspired?

  • LuminitaMarch 31, 2017 - 7:10 am

    I also try to document as much of my travels as possible, but I don’t always have the time to work as much on video content as I would like to. But it’s nice, because you cand get so creative, so your video motivates me to try harder. Good job!ReplyCancel

    • Annabelle NeedlesJune 8, 2017 - 9:11 am

      Thank you so much, Luminita! I’m sorry I missed this comment a while back but I’m hoping you’re getting at it with the video! It’s so much fun 🙂ReplyCancel

I am so excited to share this project with you guys. Earlier this summer, my client Rebecca asked me to help her with a surprise travel video as a gift to her parents, who planned this trip for Rebecca, her sisters + their families. Of course, I couldn’t wait to work on this because Provence is a place that is near to my heart. I haven’t been back in 13 years, so visiting vicariously through Rebecca’s video clips was a treat.

Rebecca did a great job (using just her iPhone!) to capture the feel of Provence perfectly. I only wish smell-o-vision was a thing so you could smell those stunning lavender fields! It’s one of the best smells on earth.

When Rebecca shared the finished product with her parents + family, there may have been some tears shed. Here’s what she had to say:

“Our week in Provence with my family was such a special time that I will never forget. And thanks to Evergreen Lane Productions, we have this amazing travel video to remember it by. She took our hours and hours of what was mundane iPhone videos and turned it into a story of our week together that we will forever cherish.”

Rebecca, her family, + friends have already watched the video over 200 times! I’m so thankful that part of my work is helping people preserve these memories. My own memories of travels with my family throughout my life are some of my most treasured.

If you’re interested in working with me to curate your own everyday adventure, you can learn more here. Or, get started right away with a sneak peak of the materials I provide through the Juniper package, by signing up at the link below + downloading my 5 secrets to creating an amazing travel video:

Rocky Mountain National Park // Hiking Alberta Falls // annabelleneedles.com

It’s kind of crazy when I stop + think about how close I live to Rocky Mountain National Park + I’ve only been a handful of times in the past 7 years.

Rocky Mountain National Park // Hiking Alberta Falls // annabelleneedles.com

Rocky Mountain National Park // Hiking Alberta Falls // annabelleneedles.com

 

 

My friends and I hiked the trail to Alberta Falls, which was just under 2 miles out + back. When we got to the falls, however, we were still feeling pretty good so we opted to continue up the trail to the Loch, which was a more strenuous hike that came out being just under 6 miles total.

Rocky Mountain National Park // Hiking Alberta Falls // annabelleneedles.com

Rocky Mountain National Park // Hiking Alberta Falls // annabelleneedles.com

The trail ran mostly alongside a river, which is my favorite kind of hike. The perfect soundtrack to any hike is definitely the sound of rushing water. And once we reached the Loch, we were able to sit on the water’s edge + cool our feet off in the water. And it was definitely cold water – on our way up there, we had to hike over a large area of snow that was still covering the trail. In July! No time of year is really safe from the occasional snowfall at such a high elevation.

Rocky Mountain National Park // Hiking Alberta Falls // annabelleneedles.com

Over the course of the hike, we gained about 1000 feet of elevation, starting just above 9000 feet + ending over at 10,000 feet above sea level.

Rocky Mountain National Park // Hiking Alberta Falls // annabelleneedles.com

Rocky Mountain National Park // Hiking Alberta Falls // annabelleneedles.com

One of the best things about living in Denver is that you can spend the morning hiking in a National Park with amazing mountain vistas + in the evening, you can find yourself dancing the night away at a sushi restaurant where your friend is the DJ – which is, as you might have guessed, exactly what I ended up doing that night.

It’s a crazy, wonderful thing. I feel so fortunate that I can have the city life I enjoy while also being so close to the escape + serenity of nature.

If this Project 365 has taught me anything, it’s the immense value in capturing our everyday moments. Time passes SO very fast – like the wind – yet having this tiny glimpse of each of my days helps me to remember. July was a crazy month. There are days I cried, days I laughed, days I held those I love + days they were far away. Days I sat in front of my computer + days I flew halfway around the world. But every last one of them, beautiful.

It is remarkable the spark that one little second of video can trigger.

That’s the main reason I created Juniper. We have these amazing tools at our fingertips, all the time, to capture our world. To hold on to our days. To remember.

Every one of our days holds beauty. The tools I created for my travel video package, Juniper, help guide you in unlocking that beauty – whether with your iPhone or DSLR – and preserving it in a beautifully curated video postcard. And maybe you’re not halfway around the world. Maybe you just want to remember your grandma’s laugh or the way the light falls on your front porch these long summer evenings. Savor your adventures in the everyday and beyond.